Colorado voters will get their first chance to see their two gubernatorial candidates go head to head Friday when Walker Stapleton and Jared Polis meet for the first time on a debate stage.

Friday’s debate kicks off a three-week verbal wrestling match in which both the Republican state treasurer and the Democratic congressman have a lot on the line. Neither candidate is known for their debate chops and their supporters are worried about self-inflicted wounds.

Who will emerge victorious? We won’t know until Nov. 7. But the candidate who is able to convince voters they are cool under pressure and have the policies and plans that will improve their lives the most has a better shot at winning than the other guy.

What’s at stake for Stapleton: Stapleton still hasn’t begun to define himself to a broader electorate. His first ad wasn’t about him, it was about Polis — but we’ll have more on that later. So, he’s going to have to use the debate to sell himself as more than just the not-Jared gubernatorial candidate. At the same time, he’s going to have to pick at Polis without coming off as a bully.

What’s at stake for Polis: Polis has never really had to defend himself, his position and his money in a hotly contested debate. Sure, he’s been attacked by primary opponents, but R-on-D attacks are a different level. He’s more numbers than narrative. To keep his apparent lead, he’s going to have to manage to keep his cool and not get too deep into the weeds.

What’s at stake for both men: As we said above, neither Stapleton nor Polis are polished debaters. But both men have invested time and resources to improve since the primaries. Stapleton’s camp hired his cousin’s debate coach. His cousin is former President George W. Bush, and Bush’s debate coach is Brett O’Donnell.

Meanwhile, Polis has been working with former state Sen. Mike Johnston. Johnston, who was one of Polis’ primary opponents, is widely considered one of the most eloquent speakers in the Democratic Party. He’s been working with Polis to become a better storyteller.

How their supporters are framing the debate:

Jeff Hays, state Republican Party chair, said via spokesman that Polis is going to have to explain how he’s going to pay for his plans to expand preschool and health care: “Polis has been running on pie-in-the-sky: free preschool, free health care, free this and free that, but with no realistic plan to pay for any of it. … Viewers should watch as Polis squirms, obfuscates, generalizes and changes the subject when asked how he plans to make good on his promises.”

Eric Walker, spokesman for the state Democratic Party, said he’s waiting to see Stapleton talk about himself, not dig at Polis. “Walker has been running a nasty negative campaign since day one because he has no plans to help Coloradans get ahead, so he’s going to come out with nasty, negative attacks from the get go.”

Meet the men at the center of the state’s hottest congressional race

By now their names — Mike Coffman and Jason Crow — are familiar. They’re the candidates in the middle of a national tug-of-war for partisan control of the U.S. House of Representives. Coffman, the five-term incumbent, has staved off challengers before. But Crow, has a different message — and identity — than any of the other candidates before him: he’s a parent.

Take a few moments to better understand Coffman and Crow in these profiles by Anna Staver.

Countdown

There are 11 days until ballots drop and 33 days until Election Day.

Your political must-reads

The whopping sums of money that Proposition 110 would generate for transportation projects are raising questions of accountability, as well as concerns from some critics about the potential for waste. Denver Post

The surprising passage of Colorado’s Amendment 2 propelled the local and national LGBT community on a 26-year political trajectory that created the conditions that have enabled an out gay man with a longtime partner and two children to run for the state’s highest office. Denver Post

People who make money renting property through websites like Airbnb can breathe a sigh relief after state lawmakers decided Wednesday against pursuing a property-tax increase on short-term rentals. Denver Post

To catch Polis, Stapleton needs to add drama to the campaign — but maybe not too much. Colorado Independent

Colorado’s U.S. senators have vowed to keep fighting the fight on behalf of the Land and Water Conservation Fund after Congress allowed it to expire over the weekend. Grand Junction Sentinel

The 30-second spot gets down to business by echoing Stapleton’s campaign-trail criticism of Polis’ health care and energy plans. He argues that Polis’ goals of single-payer health care and 100 percent renewable energy by 2040 would be too costly for Coloradans.

It’s notable that the campaign’s first ad was negative, although spokesman Jerrod Dobkin said more Stapleton spots are on the way. The campaign says it has $1 million in ad time reserved in coming weeks.

“Our ads are simple,” Dobkin said. “They highlight Congressman Polis’ extreme agenda that he wants to force on Coloradans. Voters need to know he is the most far-left gubernatorial candidate in Colorado history and his radical policies will hurt Colorado families.”

Also Wednesday, Polis released a new ad that puts a positive gloss on his education plans.

Lynn, Lynn and Lynne

Courtesy Lynn Bartels

Former Denver Post reporter and Spot author Lynn Bartels takes more selfies than a teenager using Snapchat for the first time. In one of her more recent photos from the campaign trail, Bartels, who is now the spokeswoman for Secretary of State Wayne Williams, a Republican, posted this endorsement for Arapahoe County Clerk Matt Crane.

Getting to know you

Each week we feature a different member of the state’s political community who you should know. Up first, however, we’re introducing ourselves to you. This week, meet my — amazing — boss, Cindi Andrews. (Did I mention she’s amazing?)

Who are you and what do you report on for The Denver Post?
I’m the editor of the politics team. (Reporter’s note: Like any good editor, Cindi loves brevity. Something none of her reporters have.)

How did you end up on the politics team?
I spent years as a journalist in Ohio — another purple state — covering everything from city halls to presidential campaigns. The opportunity to lead political coverage for a storied publication like The Denver Post, in one of the loveliest states in the union and in a city where I already had family, was a no-brainer.

What current storylines — local and/or national — are most interesting to you?
I’m fascinated by the political history of Colorado and the present-day impact on how citizens choose to pay for government services like transportation and education. As a new resident I’m also very interested in the challenges posed by rising housing costs. Nationally speaking, I’m curious about where the two major political parties are headed given the high levels of dissatisfaction I’m hearing about both.

What’s your biggest pet peeve covering politics?
I wish people paid as much attention to their local city councils and school boards as they do to what’s happening in Washington.

What’s your favorite part of Colorado?
It’s way too soon for me to commit, but one of my favorite trips has been to Salida. So much small-town charm and friendliness.

Nic Garcia is a political reporter for The Denver Post. He previously worked for Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization focused on public education, and Out Front, Colorado’s oldest LGBT news organization.

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